Debate is a fun and engaging way to explore issues that directly impact society, while training the brain to listen carefully, an important skill of successful leaders! Debate can be used to develop empathy, understand different perspectives, and navigate differences. The skills learned in debate supplement classroom learning and are applicable to all aspects of education. OSM Debate Club is offered as an extracurricular activity after school and focuses on Policy Debate.
Who can participate?
Debate is open to all 5th – 8th grade students.
Debate Coaches & Sponsors
Samantha Douse, homeroom and Math teacher for 6th grade is the assistant Coach, and Nandita Manglavil is a parent sponsor and head coach this year. Together, they will be focusing on this year's Policy debate resolution, working with students at different levels, conducting weekly practices, and workshops, and being available for tournaments, and other debate events.
David Dewane, dad to Rose (5th grade), Novice debater, will also be supporting OSM Debate Club this year. We will also have other parent sponsors/volunteers providing support for the program throughout the year and would love your support and involvement.
Kate Kozlowski is an OSM alumni and a champion debater. She is a Junior at Walter Payton High School. Kate has been an assistant coach helping us throughout the year and at debate camp this year.
Practice Information
Debate Practice sessions will be at OSM on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30pm – 5:00pm, beginning Tuesday, September 17th. This year, Debate sessions will run from September to March. Anyone joining the debate team will limit the number of sessions they miss during the year and should to be present in at least at one session per week!
This year, there will be 4 tournaments during the school year that students are expected to participate in. Most of the debate tournaments are in person, but some maybe virtual. There will be plenty of support from coaches, volunteers, and current debaters whether tournaments are virtual or in person.
A State championship is held around March/April (TBD) and is usually by invitation only.
Tournament Information
OSM is part of Midwest Middle School Debate League (MMSDL). Please note Tournaments are all day events and debaters are expected to attend the entire day!
⦁ Tournament #1 – October 5th, Avery Coonley School, Downers Grove
Link to photos of T1
⦁ Tournament – December 14th, FXW, Chicago
⦁ Tournament – January 11th, (Location TBD)
⦁ Tournament – February 22nd, (Location TBD)
2024-25 Debate Topic
The topic this year is, “Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly strengthen its protection of domestic intellectual property rights in copyrights, patents, and/or trademarks.”
Debaters will learn to argue both the affirmative and negative for each plan. In past years, the students have debated Cyber security, Artificial Intelligence, Security Cooperation with NATO, Federal Jobs Guarantee, Social Security, Basic Income, Water Resources, Criminal Justice Reform, International Arm Sales, and Immigration, etc.
Student Expectations
⦁ Show up on time, prepared and ready to learn at practice sessions. Debate practice is not the time to do homework or socialize. They will be given a break between end of school and start of the Debate practice session.
⦁ All necessary items for debate will be provided and all students are expected to have these at every practice session and tournament. Debate items include a debate box with core files, highlighters, two different colors of pen and timers, etc.
⦁ Coaches will provide a filing system for all their core files and help them in school.
Parents - Please check with your student if they need help filing or needs to refile to have all documents in order. This is important as they will need the files to be in correct order during debate rounds / scrimmages. Please check the box before each tournament to make sure the files are in order!
⦁ Do homework as assigned by the coaching staff – this will include learning debate rules, speaker responsibilities, flowing the debate rounds, learning the Core Files and participating in practice rounds. Each speaker will have allocated times and will need to practice at home to get the best experience out of each round.
⦁ Coaches will meet and assign partners. We will take students choices into consideration. If someone isn’t working well with their partner, we can address and may reassign another partner. Our goal is to give the kids the best experience and room to grow!
⦁ Regularly check email for announcements and practice assignments.
⦁ Attend all tournaments, if available. Consider the impact to your partner and the team if you miss a tournament. Confirm your attendance two weeks prior to the tournament.
For any debate related questions, contact:
Nandita Manglavil @ ndasmangs@gmail.com / Samantha Douse @ sdouse@osmschool.com / April Greer @ agreer@osmschool.com